Don't Go
by Lightsider
Summary: The Mandolarian Wars have just ended and Malak and the Exile are left with a choice, should they continue to follow Revan? Malak/FExile. Inspired by last year's KFM's DCC, Love Sucks.


Kalene Ja'ul was perfectly happy. The Madalorians had been defeated. The Republic was safe and she was in love. She smiled at the tall muscular man who held her in a backwards embrace overlooking the stars in the glass outer wall of the lounge room. He was playing with her hair and for the first time in months she allowed herself to relax completely. She was safe in his arms. She would stay here in this exact position with her love for all time.

"I love you, Mal." She said smiling up at him.

"And I love you Kal." Malak raised his eyebrows, something was definitely going on in that little brain of hers.

"I was just thinking wouldn't it be wonderful if we could stay in this place forever." Her voice was filled with juvenile hope and delusion, but she was in love.

"Yes" He muttered into her golden hair as he pulled her closer to him. She felt sensations sweeping through her body as she felt his body close to hers; this was so right, so perfect, but still that gnawing sense of rational Jedi - that she thought she had swallowed, the minute she turned her back on the council to follow Revan - cautioned her.

"What do we do now Mal? The war's over. We have defied the council in more ways than one." She smiled devilishly as she added the last part, but turned serious as quickly as the words were out of her mouth. "Where do we go?"

"I don't know, Kal, but we aren't the only ones you know, hundreds of Jedi stood up and did the right thing. We're heroes in the eyes of the Republic; the Masters won't forget that."

"So what we just go back tell the Masters they were wrong, and ask them for an apology. Besides you know what they will do to us. I won't let them take us apart, Mal."

"Shhh, no one will take us apart. You hear me Kal, no one." Malak reassured her. They stood there holding on to a fading moment of peace and love. The room around them disappeared as the galaxy vanished into each others arms.

"Excuse me sir, mam."

_We could use the force to send him away_. Kalene looked up at her love. _You sense the urgency; he has news…from Revan_. Kalene pulled them apart "Yes soldier."

"Revan has requested that all Generals meet in the council room."

Malak bristled "Did Revan say when?"

The soldier stiffened at the taller man's icy glare. "Revan did not specify to me sir, no."

"Dismissed soldier." The soldier was only too glad to get away from the menacing Jedi. Kalene looked in to Malak's cool brown eyes, _you know what that means._

_Yeah_, Kalene rolled her eyes. _Now. We better go._

Kalene glanced around the room twelve of her companions filled the chairs. Twelve of Revan's closest confidents, the twelve generals, during the war she had barely seen most of them. Hell, she hadn't known them that well before the war, but Revan trusted them and that was good enough for her. Malak and she were given the two chairs of honor in Revan's chamber, the two closest to her own chair.

Directly to her right was a small Jedi Counselor, but his size belied his strength. He was powerful in the force and an excellent, if perhaps, merciless strategist. He had gained Revan's favor through a particularly brutal assault of the Madalorians, where there were no survivors. In all honesty, the whole campaign and the celebration of it unnerved her greatly.

The other nine she knew little about. They varied in class, strength, ability, power, and strategy. Their only common thread was Revan valued them. They had won battles, stopped threats, or other various exploits. As a result Revan trusted them and now at the war's end, she had called them all together. Kalene maintained a small hope that Revan had gathered them together for a formal dismal or a congratulatory party, but that wasn't Revan's style. She waited for Revan.

The wait was not long. Revan entered the room with a commanding air and sat down in her own chair among her council. "My honored Generals, we have chased the Madalorians back to the worlds from which they came. This is a time for great celebration" she paused. Kalene knew what was coming; it always came into a conversation that promised an optimistic view. "But" and there it was like an anvil, "the war is not over."

Kalene felt the need to interject "Revan, how can you say that? You have defeated Mandalore himself and the clans are scattered. Surely the Madalorians are defeated, sir" It was an odd quirk, Revan insisted on being acknowledged as sir despite her gender.

"At the beginning of this war, I would have been inclined to agree with you, but as experience has taught me we cannot leave a threat to the Republic alive and uncontrolled." Revan almost laughed at her general's ignorance.

She cleared her throat and continued, "This threat must be eliminated before we can consider ourselves truly victorious. The Admirals and I have seen fit that I take a small portion of the fleet to extinguish the threat once and for all. The campaign should not take long, just mere months to ensure peace in the Republic for a long period of time."

"As of today, all of you are dismissed. I will not order you to follow me into these final battles. Force knows that you all have seen more than your share of battles, but I ask all of you to join me in a final quest that will be glorified throughout time, a final battle that will end this wretched war, a final task before we may live the rest of our lives in peace." She finished and immediately several generals swore to follow her lead. Kalene glanced uneasily in Malak's direction, but Revan raised a hand and demanded silence.

"I do not wish your answers now. I wish that you all are able to consider any and all repercussions and consequences before you give me your answer. No judgment will fall on those who do not follow me, and I hope that all who do not have long prosperous lives. Dismissed!"

The generals filed out of the room, except Kalene. She remained seated. Malak gave her a curious glance. _Don't worry._ She told him through their bond. She could feel Malak roll his eyes as he exited the room.

"Yes?" Revan had not moved.

"This is a mistake." Kalene spoke without emotion.

"Is it?"

"Yes."

"Well then, it appears we have a disagreement."

Kalene was the first to break; she always was "Can we cut the crap and actually discuss this and can you please remove that horrible mask?"

Two gloved hands reached to the side of Revan's face and removed her mask. She had worn the mask since the beginning of the war to hide her identity. "Happy?"

"Happier, but I still think you are making a horrible mistake."

"I am neither slow nor stupid; I do not need you to repeat things. If that is all you have to say-"

"No it is not all I have to say and I thought we agreed to cut the crap or have you been wearing the mask too long?"

Revan's anger rose "How dare you?"

"Well, that answers that question."

"You are not nearly as funny as you think."

"And you're not nearly as scary as you think."

"I expected by your reaction during the meeting you would try to talk me out of it." Revan had finally given up on the commander guise. "Well go on. Try your best, but you know how stubborn I can be." Revan smiled.

"Worst than a bantha, but even you have to be able to see reason."

"I could argue the same point." Revan smiled.

"Would you just shut up and listen for once!"

"I'll humor you" Revan chuckled.

_Sithspit_ with a single burst of anger she had lost the part of Revan she could connect with. She'd have to act fast to gain that bridge back. "Look, I'm sorry, but what I am trying to say is" Kalene gulped. "Haven't you had enough war? Enough bloodshed?"

"Enough to last a life time."

"Then why? Why continue this war?"

"Because I do not wish to see that type of bloodshed ever again, I will save the Republic from ever witnessing a war of this magnitude again." Revan's voice was filled with passion.

Kalene's anger rose. "And with what cost to those who continue fighting? How much blood must we spill before we can have peace?"

"You speak from the guilt you have over Malachor V that was an admirable act concluded the majority of the war."

"It should have ended the war. Hundreds of innocents were killed in that blast."

"Yes and they are losses we will mourn, but they were necessary losses nonetheless."

"How can you say that?" Kalene was at full anger now.

"Need I remind you General, that the Mass Shadow Generator was your idea and I did not order you to activate it? The choice was left entirely up to you." Revan had closed the door to the past and picked up her guise again.

"And I made the wrong the choice. Can't you see I am trying to prevent you from making the same mistake? More spilled blood will only lead to more heartache and more destruction." Kalene wanted to pound sanity into Revan's head.

"Hardly, and I suggest you calm yourself, General."

"For force sake, I have known you for over twenty years; you can use my damn name."

"Very well, Kalene," the name was forced out. "Calm yourself. You have made your point, but have failed to convince me to alter my course of action. I had hoped that I would be able to count on you in the upcoming battles, but I see you have washed your hands of this war. Good-bye General." The last word was spoken with bitter contempt.

Kalene had felt the bitter sting of tears around her eyes; she forced them down. She had realized she had just lost. Within that last word, Revan had ended all ties with her. "You know for the entirety of this war, I had half convinced myself that everything would go back to normal or at least similar, but I lost something; I never expected to lose. A friend."

"I am your superior officer, not your friend."

"I know." Kalene turned to leave.

"You know he will follow me." Kalene stopped, but did not turn around. "He's only ever wanted one thing a sense of purpose. This quest has purpose, unlike your hope for a normal life."

Kalene continued out the door. As the door shut behind her, she was not sure, maybe she imagined it, but through a bond long forgotten, Revan's voice echoed in her mind. _I hope I'm wrong, for your sake._

But Revan was never wrong. When she arrived back at her shared quarters with Malak, she could sense his excitement about this new battle, the overwhelming emotions she received through their bond made her sick.

Malak sensed her arrival and quickly came over and placed a kiss on her lips. He greeted her. "The talk with Revan didn't go well."

The bond was too strong; she couldn't lie to him and he sensed her distress. "It doesn't matter." Before Malak could interrupt, Kalene continued. "Will you go with her?"

"Of course" before Malak finished, he knew he had said the wrong thing. "You're not."

"Malak don't follow her. There is nothing out there, but more darkness." She was pleading.

"You had a premonition? Did you tell Revan?" He sounded concerned, but not about her.

"Not a premonition exactly, call it a gut feeling." She could sense Malak's concern dwindling. "Listen why are you going out there? And do not tell me to save the Republic, the only thing you are going to do is cause more death and destruction."

"We will save thousands by ending the threat now."

"What threat? We have defeated the Madalorians."

"The true threat is still out there Kal. That's not what's bothering you. At least not completely, don't give me that face." Kalene felt like punching him. "What's really wrong?"

Kalene knew it was useless to fight Malak. Their bond had grown too strong, she loved him with everything she had and had given complete access to her mind and feelings. In return, Malak had reciprocated the act.

"Mal, this war has cost too much. We defeated the Madalorians and saved the Republic, but at what cost? There are too many families that will never see loved ones again, too many Jedi have been lost, and too much pain has been caused."

"It is the price of any war, but that wasn't what you meant. Tell me, what has this war cost you?"

"Mal don't-"

"Kalene I need to know. I love you. Please."

Kalene had given up and felt tears along her cheeks. Malak pulled her into his arms. "My integrity, my innocence, my friends, myself, I tried to convince myself that it was only temporary, but no, each battle threw us, threw me farther into darkness. I don't want to lose you too. Malak please don't go with her."

"Hey," Malak reached under her chin and forced her to look at him. "I promise you won't ever lose me. I am always going to be here for you."

"Yet, you still plan to follow her."

"Kal, I have the power to be apart of something, something that will guarantee the Republic's safety for generations. But I will promise you that I will return. There's no way you'll go with us?"

"I'm done with war and with battle."

"Very well, I respect your decision, as I hope you do mine. I will see you in less than a year, I promise and after that no more battles, no more wars, just me and you for the rest of our lives."

Kalene gave him a bittersweet smile. "And I promise to be waiting."

And wait she did. For months she could feel the death and darkness Malak was surrounded around, but several months ago the bond had been broken. She feared the worse, but Malak couldn't be dead. He promised to return and Malak always kept his promises. And so she waited more.

It had been eight months and eighteen days since she had last seen Mal and each hour past like a lifetime. She constantly reassured herself that it would only be a little while longer. He would be back before the year was out.

It was the next morning when Malak and Revan returned to known space, but the return was filled with more sorrow than joy. For right in front of her eyes, were the ships Malak and Revan had taken to defeat the true threat behind the Madalorians and instead of joining the Republic fleet, the virtual image showed very clearly the ships destroying a Republic Armada. "No!" She gasped, but no one would hear her.

It had to be a dream; this could not be happening, but the sickening in her stomach knew that it was true. She felt tears rushing down her face, Malak had promised. He always kept promises, always.

She knew she had only one option. She had to confront Malak. Nothing else mattered. Maybe somehow she could still reach him. She had to try.

Kalene was more than a little surprised that she had been allowed to see Revan, the dark side swirled around Revan's flagship. She found it overwhelming and she quietly wondered what in the force she was doing here? The dark energy suffocated her and this was the last place she wanted to be, but it didn't matter; Malak was here.

Two guards escorted her to the command room. "My Lord Revan, the Jedi you requested." Revan was looking out a window onto the stars. The black cloak consumed her tiny body like the darkness had consumed her heart. She turned and the cloak followed behind her dragging on the ground. Kalene sensed the other dark knights surrounding the room, but she did not expand her sensory; she was afraid to find Malak, like Revan encased in darkness and so Kalene's eyes stared straight at the floor where the dark cape followed its cruel master.

"Kalene Ja'ul, still so full of light, you of all people I would expect would have realized the error in the Jedi Code, but I can taste the light within you cowering before the darkness that beckons you. Embrace the darkness and join me." It was a cold, calculating voice, so unlike the cheerful voice she had known so well.

Kalene's nerve was faltering now, "I didn't come to join you." She mustered out in the strongest voice she could, but it was barely above a whisper.

"Then tell me foolish knight why have you come?" Kalene couldn't think of anything to say, she didn't know what she was doing here or what she thought she would accomplish. Then she heard Revan laugh a cold evil laugh that sent chills down her spine. Kalene realized in that instant that she had not been guarding her mind. This idea was becoming more stupid by the minute. What had she been thinking?

"If you will not join me, you will die." It wasn't threatening; it was promising, but a softer voice inside her head enticed her. _Besides if you join me_, _you will be able to spend the rest of your life with him. _The Dark Side had never sounded so inviting. Revan and the Dark Side could give her the only thing she had ever wanted a life with Malak, but it wasn't the life she wanted.

It was that simple; the Dark Side wasn't what she wanted. She stared defiantly into the two slits that should have been Revan's eyes. "I will not join you." She spoke loudly and filled the room with her voice.

"Very well," Revan raised a hand to strike Kalene, but stopped. "No, my apprentice will handle this."

Then from Revan's side, Malak appeared his once brown eyes turned grotesque yellow. "Malak destroy her." Kalene couldn't believe it, not only had Malak fallen, but he was the Dark Lord's apprentice. She knew she shouldn't have come, but her she was about to be destroyed by the man she loved. Well, she was here to see Malak; the least she could do was try. _Malak don't do this, please. Your promise, do you remember your promise?_

She thought she saw a faint recognition, sorrow, remorse flash across his face, but it was gone too quickly and replaced with cold hard cruelty. Before Kalene could register Malak's change, lightening shot out from his fingertips and raced towards her body. Her body was pierced with pain. The electricity burnt her skin and scalded her bones. The physically pain was small compared to the emotionally heartbreak, betrayed by the two people she trusted most. She was ready to give into death's warm embrace, but distantly she heard Revan. "Enough! Send this pathetic Jedi back to her precious council!" And then the blackness took her.


End file.
